Manik's POV:
''Why is Nandini here?'' I asked Aryaman as she left. ''I've got her here'' I can't believe he did that. ''Are you really my friend Aryaman? You have got her here and tumne ye mujhse chupaya? I mean I would have apologized her before letting her know about this'' I said. ''Nandini ko kuch cheezein clear karna hai, it was her decision to not come out. I have already apologized on your behalf and believe me maine ye sab tumhe neeche dikhane ke liye nahi kiya. Main Nandini ko ye samjhana chahta tha ki tum ye sab Siya ke liye kar rahe ho, I wanted to show how much you love Siya'' he said. ''But ye sab tumhe kyu karna pada? It's all about perspective Aryaman! If I would have told all this to Nandini, I would have apologized to her but she came to know all this through you, usko kya lagega that I have done all this to insult her'' I said.
''Manik, I have told her the same, yaha baat sirf ek award ki nahi hai'' he said. ''Phir kis liye baat ho raha hai yaha?'' I don't want to argue with him anymore. ''Maine ye sab kiya but iska matlab ye nahi ki I hate Nandini, mujhe bhi uski fikar hai'' I said. ''Mujhe usse maafi maangna hai, main jaa raha hu'' I said and left from there following Nandini. Jab bhi wo upset ho jati hai, kisiko bataye bina wo chali jati hai. I hope she doesn't leave all of a sudden now. I have reached her place as soon as I could. I rang her door bell bu there is no reply. Luckily I have her flat keys so I tried to open the door but then she opened it herself. ''Nandini meri baat suno'' I said entering home.
''What should I know more? Wasn't that enough?'' she said. ''Tum baat ko galat samaj rahe ho? I didn't knew you were there?'' I said. ''If you would have known that I'm there, you will never say that to Aryaman and I would have never know about you'' she said. Aryaman has successfully damaged the whole scenario. ''Nandini, zaruri nahi hai ki jo dikhta hai wahi sahi ho, let me explain you'' I said. ''Even I have thought the same when Aryaman told me about you, but you proved me wrong'' she said. Nandini was in tears. ''So, all of this is because of Aryaman, let me call him up'' I said but she denied. ''I don't want to talk to anyone'' she said. "Nandini, please listen to me" I said holding her hand but she didn't let me.
"Don't ever touch me Manik" she moved away from me. "How dare you to touch me? Whatever you did, everything was so private. I never realized that no one knew about us, no, you never wanted anyone to know about us" she accused me. "Aisa nahi hai, tell me what you want me to do?" I asked her. "Sab kuch pehle ke jaise karo, just undo whatever happened. Tell Siya that it's not her and it's me who got selected" she asked me. I am so helpless now. "Nandini, it was Siya who helped you in the first place, if she did not reject the role, you would have never got this" I tried to explain her. "Exactly, she rejected and I chose to do it. Agar Siya sach mein deserving hoti tho ye award usko hi milta na, why would I make a fuss of it if she is good at her job" she asked.
"You are misunderstanding her, Siya did not ask for an award, I just did this to make her happy" I said. "Nandini, I love you, please trust me. I don't want Siya to think that I'm loving you because of your success, I want to be there for you in your failures too. If not today, you can get many such awards tomorrow. I don't want to hurt Siya when I tell Siya about you, about Us, about our love" I said. I never thought I had to propose Nandini in this way. "Ye kaisa pyar hua Manik, you are asking me to back off from a race just because you love me. So you think you can take me granted if you love me!" she said.
"Maybe I'm wrong but my love for you is true Nandini" I can't see her like this. "Tumne mujhe kiss kiya, humare baare mein tho kisi ko nahi bataya tumne. You are taking for granted because you love me and are you still expecting me to love you?" she asked me. "I don't want to be a second priority to a man who loves me. I can't love you Manik" she said. "No, you are lying, you can't just reject me like this. I know you love me too" I said but she didn't wanted to listen to me. "Enough is enough Manik, please go out of my sight. I don't want to see you" she was in tears. This is what I never wanted to see in my life. My heart bleeds to see Nandini in this condition. Maybe I should have asked her before making any decision. I thought Nandini might understand about Siya but she took it all wrong.
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On the day of Award function:
"Manik, pick one among these" Siya said showing me 2 dresses. "You would look good in both of these" I said carried away in my thoughts. Nandini hasn't talked to me in these 2 days nor she gave me any chance to meet her. Galti meri thi aur maafi bhi maang raha hu na, aur kya chahiye usse. "Stop being formal, please select one" Siya was firm and I have selected a red dress for her. Aaj tho wo award function mein aayegi, she would look angelic in red. I got ready and came back to pick Siya up. ''Looking like a Greek god'' Siya said as she hugged me from the back. Involuntarily I took her hands off of me. ''Kya hua?'' Siya asked me but I didn't know why I did that. ''Sirf tum dono hi jayenge ya hum bhi tumhare saath aa sakte hai kya'' Alya got decked up as a diva and met us for the star studded night. While everyone seemed excited for the award function I'm worried about Nandini.
Alya, Dhruv and Siya got indulged in their chit chat and Nandini is constantly on my mind. I have been eagerly waiting for her as we entered the venue. Dhruv, as usual got indulged in others and the media coverage is on full swing. ''Manik Malhotra, you have won this award for the third time in a room, so it is a hat-trick hit for you, what would you like to say about it?'' the host on the Red-Carpet asked me. ''Releasing a good movie every year and delivering good content itself is an achievement for me, so this is award will be the icing on the cake'' I said and they have asked Siya about her award. ''Well, that's a surprise for me, even though the movie received mixed reviews and critical response, I'm happy that could get my hands on this'' she said. What would Nandini had said if she is asked the same. Who would she give the credit!
Nandini walked down wearing a red overflowing fish cut dress, she knew how to instantly put a smile on my face. She was shining like a star, yes she is truly a star. Even though she did not won the award today, she will win it one day. Why is she out of my sight? Why can't I find her now? ''Manik'' Siya tapped and signed me to go inside. Was I dreaming about Nandini till now? I'm curious to see her now. But why isn't she here yet? Is she not coming here? I took my phone and dialed her number. She isn't picking up my calls now but I got to try now. But there is so uncommon and unusual and unfortunately I had to witness.
Nandini is in her never expected avatar. She wore a bodycon backless black dress which ended just above her knees. It's not that I have never seen any girl in this attire, but Nandini tonight seemed like a volcano dressed in black. Her winged eye liner is enough to kill me. Her long flowing hair is also tied in a messy bun today. She did not looked sad or gloomy but is cheerful. She never dropped any hints of being sad. Maybe she is back to normal now or can I at least hope for it. She hugged Aryaman as she saw him. She looked at me but did not pay attention. I know I would get her but I'm sure she will make it too hard. My heart raced as Siya's name is announced to take the award. She looked so happy and hugged me when she is back. ''The best debut actress of the year goes to Nandini Murthy'' the host announced. Nandini adorned the stage and said she is very delighted to receive this award. That means Nandini had finally understood what I wanted to say. Uss din tho jald baazi mein usse propose tho kiya but I have to wait for her answer. I hope she says yes.
''This award is not mine, the only reason and the only person who I will dedicate this award to is Mr. Manik Malhotra'' she said and it was totally unexpected. ''He is my producer and my co-actor. Being an award winner himself, I would like to take this award from him, that would be my privilege'' she said. Is Nandini Okay! Why is she saying like this? Aryaman looked at me worried and Dhruv persuaded me to go. Disheartened I went on stage and she hugged me. ''Nandini'' I whispered into her ear. ''I would like to take this award from you Manik'' she said and I did as she said. ''Thank you for selecting me for this role, thank you for being my mentor, thank you for this award and thank you for everything'' there is no sadness in her voice, I was looking for her sarcasm at least but couldn't find any. ''Why are you doing this Nandini?'' I whispered to her. ''This is what you wanted Manik, don't you?'' she said and left from there.
''Wow, I never knew you and Nandini shared such a good bond'' Siya said. What is it Nandini wanted to prove? There is something wrong with her. I thought she would be hurt but no, she did show any such signs. ''Congratulations for the best actress award Siya'' Nandini congratulated Siya. ''Thank you so much and congrats to you too'' Siya said. ''You must have done an amazing job, so you deserved this'' Nandini said. ''Does that mean you haven't watched the film'' Siya asked confused. ''No, I've watched it twice'' Nandini paused and then said, ''because I have slept for the first time''. Siya was puzzled at her behavior and so am I. ''Queen Victoria character has an enormous scope to play, and you have exceled it'' Nandini said. ''Is it your first time that you bought it?'' Nandini asked her. ''What?'' I tried to stop Nandini but she has already gone wild. ''In case if I had more money, I would have bought best actress and not the best debut actress'' Nandini said. Not only me but Dhruv and Aryaman also knows where she is going. There were only few people around us and not many could actually hear us. I had to stop Dhruv as I can't afford to create a scene there.
''What are you saying Nandini?'' Siya's voice trembled. ''You are so lucky to have Manik in your life, I've heard in shaayaris that main tumhare liye chaand sitaare launga but Manik ne tho tumhare liye award laaya, ye bhi sitara hi hai na'' Nandini instigated Siya. ''Nandini, please stop the non-sense'' I said holding her hand but she took her hand back. ''Let me tell her about you Manik, how you bought this award for her when I was truly deserving this?'' she said.
''Manik, is she true? Did you buy this for me?'' Siya asked me while Nandini walked away.